Jagdish Tytler summoned as accused by court in forgery case

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who has been chargesheeted by CBI along with controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma in a forgery case, was on Friday issued summons as an accused by a Delhi court asking him to appear on September 30.

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who has been chargesheeted by CBI along with controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma in a forgery case, was on Friday issued summons as an accused by a Delhi court asking him to appear on September 30.

Special CBI judge VK Gupta took cognisance of the CBI's charge sheet which was filed on the then minister of state for home Ajay Maken's complaint that a forged letter on his letterhead was written to the Prime Minister by Verma seeking easing of business visa norms in 2009.

Verma is presently lodged in Tihar Jail after being arrested in various cases lodged against him by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.

CBI in its charge sheet has alleged that the "forgery was done with active connivance" of the Congress leader with Verma.

"The forged letter was given to a China-based telecom firm with the purpose of wrongful assuring them of visa extension in India. Verma had allegedly demanded one million dollars from the firm showing the letter but the money did not exchange hands," it said.

Acting on the complaint of Maken, CBI had registered a case against Verma last year under section 469 of the IPC which relates to forgery for purpose of harming reputation.

CBI has also slapped charges for violation of Information Technology Act and Prevention of Corruption Act.

During the course of its investigation, CBI claimed to have found that Tytler was actively involved in the forgery of the letter, written on letterhead of Maken, which was purportedly addressed to the Prime Minister for easing visa norms for a Chinese telecom firm in 2009.

Verma and his Romanian wife Anca Maria Neacsu were arrested by the CBI on June 8 last year in a corruption case for allegedly receiving money from a Swiss firm to stall its blacklisting proceedings by Indian government.

This was followed by registration of the forgery case. Anca is also in judicial custody.